D-Bell, aka Minor Machman, has a growing email list of those who want Statewide Tax Reform. This blog site is a compilation of his research. His efforts originated in Huntsville, but have expanded to Ogden Valley, Weber County and the entire state of Utah

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

News Release, D-Bell announces for District 8 seat currently held by Gage Froerer.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 4, 2008D.W. Bell announces his candidacy as a Democrat for the Utah State LegislatureDistrict 8 seat currently held by Gage Froerer

OGDEN – Don Bell, a decorated combat pilot as well as ("in")famous F-16 testpilot, announced today, March 4, that he will challenge Representative Gage Froerer for District 8 seat in the Utah Legislature.

“Enough is enough, it’s time to send people to Capitol Hill who will represent all the people and not just special interests, it is time to bring some integrity back into the people's business” Said Mr. Bell.

“While the people of District 8 were being abused by horrific property taxes, my opponent was ineffective and participated in a propaganda campaign for 5 months against true property tax reforms. It is time to hold him, and the special interests he represents, accountable for the ineffective leadership and representation. My opponent has represented his own business interests and those of his cronies in the Realtors Association and development industry, while neglecting his constituents.”

D-Bell has fought for taxpayer rights in Ogden Valley. He has worked to form coalitions across Utah to lobby for property tax fairness and reforms while assisting many of the elderly with their property taxes.

When elected he will demand fiscal accountability and transparency from government and strict oversight of developers and their sponsored legislation at the expense of the people.

“When my wife Kay and I chose to retire in Utah in 1978 the state was a frugal, conservative and well run place to raise our family. The political times have changed since then and we now find ourselves governed by a consortium of special interest groups and their well placed elected operatives. We must clean out those who have infiltrated our legislature and return to basic logic and common sense legislation. In order for our greatest legacy, our children and grandchildren, to be able to afford to live here we must lower taxes and clean up the way things are run in state government."

Mr. Bell is on record as stating: “I will continue a relentless fight for lower taxes, significant property tax reform, ethics and campaign finance reform, which I believe most Utahns favor, yet our current representative has rejected for 2 years."

Mr. Bell's stand on gifts:

"I do not understand how gift accepting could be a part of Utah politics. All gifts and large campaign donations come with expectations."

"My pledge is to not accept any “gifts” of any value from anyone after I'm elected. During the campaign I will only accept contributions in small amounts and from individuals only. I will not accept special interest or political lobby money in any amount."

"As a United States Air Force fighter pilot I accepted no gifts or bribes to do my duty, and as a representative of the people of district eight I will accept no gifts in any amount for my service."

"My opponent and his Realtor and developer cronies are a big part of the problem, not a part of the solution. It is time for a change”

Background:

D-Bell has lived in District 8 for 18 years and in Utah for 30 years. He and his wife of 42 years, “K-Bell”, raised two children in Davis County while he served as the Chief F-16 test pilot at Hill AFB.

Both D and K-Bell grew up in Southeast Arkansas. He worked to put himself through high school and the University of Arkansas (BA Business) and the University of N. Colorado (MA). After a year working on the Gemini Project in St. Louis, Bell joined the US Air Force where he completed pilot training. For the next 20 years he was on a mission for his Country. In Viet Nam he flew 188 combat missions in F-4 fighters. He was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and thirteen Air Medals, with 29 awards and decorations.

After the war he was selected for a special assignment with the Marine Corps where he attended Navy Top Gun school. While on his only staff assignment Bell helped to create and flew in an unprecedented 5 nation, 3 year, F-16 flight test program, based out of Hill AFB. He worked persistently with integrity and at times audacity, to insure a new concept of F-16 interoperability was successfully integrated into the European theater and NATO. Back at Hill AFB Bell flew production flight test missions. Returning to civilian life, Bell supervised engineers at Hill AFB for General Dynamics, for ten years before retiring.

Candidate Pledge:

D-Bell’s professional experience, honesty, tenacity and character will help all citizens of Utah, especially those concerned about legislative ethical behavior. He will work year round, without any conflicts of interest, representing his constituents ethically, honestly, and with dignity and professionalism.

4 comments:

Good news. I would like to add that when Froerer spins his record to reflect all his work to remedy the injustices being thrown at the valley residents, be prepared to remind him, and I mean often, how he got us into this mess. He is being disingenuous. What he tried to fix in committee was nothing more than campaign rhetoric.

It is time for a change. The Republican party has been hijacked by corrupt corporations. Thank you for your determination to represent the people.

I have lived in District 8 (Ogden) for many years. I have seen too much corruption and graft in County and State government. Seldom have I seen anyone step forward with the credentials and obvious integrity of this Mr. Bell.

He does not claim to be anything but a passionate representative of the people, who wants what I and my whole family would like to see. And that is some honesty and character injected into our legislature.

It is a lonely and thankless, low paid job, but I believe this guy is used to having had a lonely, thankless and low paid job having served in the military for 20 years. And me and everyone I have talked too agree this combat & test pilot guy has the right stuff to take the guff he will face from those he will no doubt embarrass with his example of honesty and integrity. And who knows, he just might almost single handedly lead a reform movement within and clean up our mostly less than upright legislators by getting them exposed and unelected.

Let's support this guy. The incumbent is a little lying weasel who takes credit for what others have done. He has done nothing for anyone but his own self and business interests. That is for sure!

But Mr. Bell needs to have thick skin, because at least half the legislature and the whole Realter & development community will be pumping big time money into the GOP guys' campaign funds. So there will be no way to fend off tens of thousands of dollars. We can only hope people will recognize character when they see and meet it instead of what we have endured the past two years.